The daughter of Poseidon-Book 2

Chapter 6

Leo

The Poseidon cabin was beside the lake. It was a regular wood with a green trident painted above the door. Riley opens the door wide enough so I can go inside first. I do so and sitting on the bed is a pale, scrawny boy with mangled black hair. But he had a punk era to him. He wore a t-shirt that said Escaping Soceity on it and wore an All Time Low Bracelet. I had heard of these bands but really weren't my taste. The tips of his hair were a tealish blue and his left ear had piercings all along the edge.

"Nico!" Riley exclaimed. "You look great!" She embraced him in a hug. He cleared his throat.

"Who's your friend?" He asked.

"Oh. Nico this is Leo Valdez, son of Hephaetus. Leo this is Nico di Angelo, son of Hades." Nico nodded kinda in a "'sup?" movement.

"So this is the famous Nico, I've heard all about." I said. Nico turned to Riley

"You told him about me?" He asked. She nodded.

"You're my best friend. Why wouldn't I?" He crossed his arms.

"You do know, that if I wasn't here, you'd be breaking the rules." I raised my eyebrow.

"What?" I turned to Riley.

"A girl and a guy can't be alone in a cabin together. But Nico! I was just getting him sone clothes!" Nico shook his head disapprovingly.

"But what about you and.... your brother?" I asked.

"We have the same father! That's gross." She said, a showing a little disturbance about the mention of Percy.

"Did you find him? Percy, I mean." Nico said. Riley's eyes filled with tears and I was afraid she was gonna cry.

"No." She choked. Nico looked more disappointed than I thought possible.

"Dammit. But, on the bright side, I know he's not dead." Riley managed to smile. "I've also been looking for him. I've asked around. Been basically all over the globe. Did you know it's really hard to talk to people in China when you don't know how to speak Chinese?" I smirked and Riley giggled and pecked him on the cheek. My heart sank. Why? I don't know. Do I have feelings for Riley? I don't think so. I flirted with alot of girls when I was in school but never really had a rock hard relationship before. Riley found a pair of jeans that looked like it would fit me and I went yo change. Riley also had an underarmor sweater that she said I could borrow.

Riley quickly ran to the Mess Hall to grab Nico a sandwich and whatever else she could find. Leaving me and Nico alone.

"What else did Riley tell you about me?" He asked.

"Well. You don't like to hang around much probably because your dad was a creepy asshole and that gives you a bad rep here. But you do show up for her and Percy's birthday." He flinched when I said Percy. "And Christmas. Riley said no one should be alone on Christmas." Nico nodded.

"I do it just to make her happy. She's had a tough life. Her mother was a drunk and beat her regularly. She ran away with these 2 kids, Thalia and Luke. They became really good friends. But then Luke started to work for Kronos and was killed last Summer. Thalia had been turned into a tree was a long time then becane a Hunter of Artemis where you become immortal and travel. Then Percy came along and they didn't get along that well at first. Then her leg...." He paused. "Anyways. He life is shit."

"What happened to her leg?" I asked.

"She doesn't talk about it because she doesn't want everyone to know. Expecially a newbie like you." Alright. No feelings hurt. Eh, maybe just a little. Then Riley came in, holding a couple sandwiches, a stem of grapes and a bottle of water.

"Here you go." As Nico ate in silence the tension was thich enough to cut it with a knife. When he finished he stood up.

"Alright. Thanks Riley but I got to go. Things have been hectic with the Gods and I just wanted to see you." She nodded.

"Alright then." She gave him another hug. "I'll see you soon." Nico shook my hand and all of a sudden the room started to get colder. And then he was gone.

"What the hell is that?" I asked.

"That. Was shadow travel. He does that all the fucking time." She bit her lip.

"Why? What's the matter?" I asked.

"He'll fucking show up for my birthday or Christmas or just some random occasion. We'll spend about half an hour together and then he'll just up and leave with some excuse." She punched the wall.

"Hey, hey, hey. It's alright." I gave her a hug, even though it seemed like she would punch me in the face. But instead she curled up into my arms and took in the embrace.

"Well. If that's what he does all the time and makes you feel this way, he's an asshole." She didn't say anything.